This is Viewpoints for Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Halt the influx

Great news comes from England to leave the European Union. It shows that working folks are tired of having refugees thrust upon them. These refugees are often potential Islamic terrorists waiting to create mass murder. As Donald Trump has sensibly warned: It is time to halt the influx of thousands of Muslims, UNTIL WE UNDERSTAND who we are allowing in. This is in direct contrast to Hillary’s promise to admit thousands more. With her millions of dollars from foreign countries in illegal contributions, it is impossible to determine her motives. It is clear that she will have plenty of armed protection, but what about the rest of US?

Bigoted or enlightened?

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If the Telegraph Sunday columnist Bill Cummings wrote about the Koran in similar fashion as he does about the Bible, casting doubt on its plain meaning, would he be considered enlightened or bigoted?

Don Sweat

Macon

A way to go

The recent hateful words of Sen. David Perdue against President Obama and misuse of Psalm 109 (The Telegraph, June 11) show his need for an elementary course in Christianity 101 and the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor but hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies...,’” Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 5, Verse 6.

It also shows Sen. Perdue has a way to go before realizing that image Mark Twain pictured of “the calm, cool confidence of a Christian holding four aces.”

C. Ray Brewster

Macon

VA nurses’ policy

Thank you for your story about the proposed change in VA hospitals to grant Full Practise Authority to advanced practice registered nurses, including nurse anesthetists (hottest battle in Washington may be over VA’s plan to expand nurses’ powers, June 3). The proposed policy change posted to the Federal Register on May 25 and is open for public comment until July 25.

While some advocate that the policy change will improve veterans’ access to care by addressing a shortfall of medical staff, there is no shortage of physician anesthesiologists and the change is not needed to improve access to anesthesia care in surgery at VA medical centers.

The policy, if adopted, will abandon a proven model of care where physician anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists work together as a team to provide high quality and safe anesthesia. Surgery and anesthesia are inherently dangerous, requiring physician involvement, especially for VA patients who often are sicker and have multiple medical conditions that put them at greater risk for complications.

I applaud U.S. Representative Sanford Bishop for joining this effort to protect veterans’ health and safety. If you care about those who served our country, visitsafeVAcare.org and submit a comment before July 25 to stop the VA’s risky plan.

Steven L. Sween, M.D.

Sandy Springs

Award-winning lie

After years of in-country observation the FBI could not “vet” the Orlando killer — yet the president assures us the Syrian refugees he is bringing into the country will be “vetted.” I think he just kept his liar of the year award. Sorry Hillary but you came in second again.

Robert Buck

Macon

Only locals

In Sunday’s paper you published an editorial on our country’s treatment of refugees. At the end , in smaller print were the words “The New York Times.” My opinion of this editorial is not relevant. I subscribe to THE TELEGRAPH. You get my money. If I wanted to read opinions from The New York Times, I would subscribe to The New York Times. Are you doing the bidding of The New York Times editorial board, don’t you have your own opinion on this subject, and why at the beginning did you fail to add a comment “this editorial is from The New York Times?

Lou Stennes

Warner Robins

A right to be armed

There are over 30 million guns in the country. Several million of them are assault rifles. No matter what laws are enacted, criminals will not give up their guns nor will law abiding individuals gun owners relinquish their guns. If the government tries to limit the manufacture of ammunition, it will only create a black market that will rival Prohibition.

Cities like Chicago that have strict gun laws have the highest murder rates. When the police try to implement proven tactics like Stop and Search, social activists aggressively protest that this is a form of profiling and it diminishes the self-esteem of potential suspects. These zealots seem to be lenient on criminals and restrictive on the police. I guess if there is a feel good environment the people in crime-infected neighborhoods will have to tolerate a three-a-day murder rate.

The same view prevails in cities like Washington, D.C., that have high drive-by shooting rates. Social manipulators have tried to stop efforts to set up roadblocks in high crime areas to search cars for guns. I guess they believe that a few nightly gun shootings is the price they are willing to pay to ensure that potential killers are not inconvenienced.

We need to let the police do their job. They know who are the bad guys. I could care less if potential killers are scrutinized.

Terrorists and deranged individuals select gun-free zones to conduct their mass killings. The police need to be free to aggressively track radical clerics and their followers. I disagree with the proposed advice that individuals should rush a shooter and try to disarm him. I do not think that only a few will be killed before the police arrive and apprehend the shooter. Schools should identify officials to be trained and issued a weapon so they can stop a killer before they go on a murder spree.

We have the right and an obligation to carry a gun so we can defend our families. If armed individuals shoot as soon as a killer begins to fire, I believe the only causality would be the killer. As long as we have gun-free zones, terrorists and deranged individuals will have places where they can do the most harm.